Ibn Khaldun: A Forgotten Sociologist?

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the 14th century, Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) propounded sociological ideas similar to those of classical sociologists such as Auguste Comte (1798–1857), Emile Durkheim (1858–1917), Ferdinand Tonnies (1855–1936) and Karl Marx (1818–1883). He attempted to study and understand human society by using scientific methods of enquiry. However, Ibn Khaldun's name and contributions to modern sociology are apparently missing from most Western sociological textbooks in most universities across the globe. This article examines the sociological ideas of Ibn Khaldun and their relevance to contemporary sociology. The article considers factors responsible for why Ibn Khaldun has ceased to command a wide audience in contemporary mainstream sociology and suggests the need for modern sociologists and social scientists generally to begin to become acquainted and engage rigorously with his ideas and arguments.